I’ve been multi-tasking the last week, working and listening to podcasts – a catch-up on good material missed. I have plenty to get on with in that respect; right now, it’s the turn of Baz and Gaz’s What Would The Smart Party Do.

I’m having a whale of a time listening because I’m over the same generation. I started collecting at the beginning of the 80s (while knee high to a grasshopper) and have a strange balance of trad and indie games scattered about.

The duo has covered a wealth of material in the 10 hours they’ve recorded so far, from handling problem players and the awkward demands of social conflict, to game mechanics and setting creation. All excellent stuff – and an easy listen.

In passing, we get a mention that Kickstarters appeal as a luxury and that some people prefer something physical and special. While perhaps some modern gamers might get away with PDF rules and dice apps, others appreciate the accoutrements of gaming found in accessories and supplements.

And then All Rolled Up got a mention by Baz, which is a delight (it’s around 42:40 and I paraphrase due to lack of adequate stenography skills).

We’re of a vintage where you get a dice set for a game. Not just a dice set for us to use – but a dice set for Deadlands, a different one for Vampire, and a different one for this, and for that. And you’d have a dice bag, and you’d have this that and another. I’ve got special notebooks and special pens. None of us are afraid of spending money on this kit because a hobby ain’t a hobby until there’s kit involved. […] You know the guys (sic) at All Rolled Up, who make the really luscious dicebags and all of the kit and accessories, absolutely have seen a fantastic gap in the market that really wasn’t being serviced. It’s for people like ourselves who have got to the stage where we’ve got a few quid in the bank… we’ve got less time than we used to, but we’ve got a couple of quid and we’re more than happy to spend it on things like that to kind of enhance our gaming experience.

Thanks, Baz!

I thoroughly recommend that you drop in on The Smart Party and have a listen. The podcasts have been a lot of fun to listen to and raised a fair share of interesting points. Well worth you giving up your ear(s) for the time it’ll take to catch up.

(And damned you, Gaz and Baz, that you’ve now got me interested in reading up on early edition Earthdawn. Damned you!)

]]>http://www.allrolledup.co.uk/the-smart-party/feed/0542Review the Reviewhttp://www.allrolledup.co.uk/review-the-review/
http://www.allrolledup.co.uk/review-the-review/#commentsTue, 16 Dec 2014 10:39:55 +0000http://www.allrolledup.co.uk/?p=377I really like this picture of Desert Delve, posted as part of a review in July 2014, over on the Roll Play blog (or you can go directly to a – reasonably – translated version of the blog if you don’t speak French and want to read the review – Roll Play Google Translated).

Actually, I like all of the pictures on the blog entry – but this one really caught my eye because of the focus on the finer detail. The careful stitching on the badge – which we take a lot of care over and has evolved over the last 18 months of making All Rolled Up dice bags; the different textures of the fabrics inside and out; the coordinated colours; and, that neat little charm.

Go take a look.

The interesting thing for us when we attend events is that seeing, touching and opening up an All Rolled Up makes all the difference in appreciating the work that goes into making them. No, this is not a simple dice bag, but a carefully considered piece of handmade gaming-ware, given consideration and considerable forethought. The contrast and coordination of fabrics and colours are something we take great pains over, right from the moment we select and source new fabric.

I think these pictures go some way to bridging the gap between hearing about the All Rolled Up game roll and having one in your hand. However, if you get the chance to come along to an event we’re attending, I heartily recommend it – we’re happy to help and offer a very wide range of options and designs.

]]>http://www.allrolledup.co.uk/review-the-review/feed/1377RPGaDay 14 – Best Convention Purchasehttp://www.allrolledup.co.uk/rpgaday-14-best-convention-purchase/
Thu, 14 Aug 2014 12:38:14 +0000http://allrolledup.co.uk/?p=192Oli Palmer has some very positive thoughts over on Dice Tart about his best convention purchase and introduction to the All Rolled Up dice bag concept, posted 14th August 2014:

…after minimal thinking I picked up the Thunderflower Red version. I was exceptionally impressed with the quality of the product and it wasn’t long before I bought a second… ARUs have quickly become something of a staple in every gamers collection…

What you get for your money is a handcrafted heavy duty game accessory, reinforced to take a good amount of Gamer abuse, this isn’t something that’s going to fall apart within a year (or ten for that matter), it’s a quality accessory that you buy one of and then you use it for the rest of your gaming career […] Most of all, I like that the people making it care about the product they’re making.

I just received two brand new dice bags from the wonderful people at All Rolled Up! […] they are high quality hand-made bags that roll up with space for pencils, pens, cards, and Tons of Dice. […] Do yourself a favor. Ditch the Old Bag and step up to the 21st century with an ARU!

At this years Dragonmeet (2013), was a stall which Vicky and I got very excited about. […] The All Rolled Up is basically the ultimate dice bag. […] a wonderfully large piece of kit […] What makes the ARU really special is that they come in a very wide variety of materials. […] It’s also lovely to see such nice, hand made items in gaming. I think all the growth in the industry is small companies like this and it makes me optimistic about gaming’s future.

Role playing has been around since the dawn of time […] So why is it that we’re stuck with standard little bags to hold our dice? […] Their answer is the “All Rolled Up”, or ARU (“Aroo” or “Are-You”?). The name is beautiful in that it outlines exactly what the bag does – it takes stuff you need and rolls it all up. […] Due to the way the ARU dice pouch sits though, you have a clear view of your dice collection with minimal poking around required, with a base layer keeping it upright. […] The construction of the ARU feels pleasingly rugged. […] So, is it worth the money? Yes, 100% yes.

This is All Rolled Up. […] These are more than just dice bags. They’re a complete set of everything you’ll need in terms of gaming. […] This was the must-have item for Furnace 2013. […] I would highly recommend this product for anyone who is after a little bit of “geek chic” that has some functionality. This is now my dice bag.

When I felt an urge to play some Fate at an upcoming Con, first thing that occurred to me was that I’d need storage for index cards, Fate dice and chips, all that stuff […] All Rolled Up […] is a storage solution for your game gubbins […] The pictures on the website do a good job of showing you how it all works, but it doesn’t give you the essentially tactile nature of it. These things feel great. They roll up well, and have a certain heft to them that I find really appealing, like a good cricket ball. […] This product is an absolute luxury […] perfectly pitched to people like me who love to spend money they don’t have on things they don’t need.